Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli revealed that he referred to Messi to help inspire his players before the match.

“I told the group that Messi does not owe Argentina a World Cup, but rather football owes the World Cup to him,” Sampaoli told a news conference. “Argentina took a step forward, and in time we can be competitive,” he added.

The 2018 World Cup will be played in 11 Russian cities from June 14 to July 15.